Make sure your DP knows your birth plan; I'd said I wanted gas & air but was in no fit state to ask for it, DH didn't ask either, and for some reason the mw never offered it. Also if you feel the need to push, tell the mw rather than just assuming your body is getting it wrong, and if she says you can't possibly be at that stage yet, get her to check - even first labours can be short!
Boots disposable knickers are completely useless for larger ladies; I am a size 18 pre-preg and couldn't even get the size 18-20 ones over my knees!
I used the thick maternity pads for the first day or two, but they were incredibly uncomfortable, and as they had no wings to hold them in place, they tended to shift sideways and only be partly effective! The slim ones with wings (Boots) were much better, but I was lucky that my bleeding didn't stay heavy for very long.
If a mw tells you it's better not to wear knickers at night and that your two maternity pads will stay on without them, she's lying.
It is not the end of the world if your DC won't feed right away, and having to give formula top-ups does not mean either that you are a failure or that you won't be able to bf. However, if you have problems bf-ing, insist on some help setting up a feeding plan ASAP rather than hoping it will all turn out right on its own (though it might), especially if the hospital policy is to keep you in until you've established some kind of feeding routine. What with shift changes and the occasional good feed, no one realised how difficult I was finding it for four days, but once DH and I managed to pin someone down and demand a plan, both feeding and my feelings impoved dramatically.